MPPCB orders relocation of AQI monitoring stations in Indore:Bhaskar English’s report forces action, exposing green-zone stations masking real pollution levels

Indore’s reputation as one of India’s cleanest cities has been jolted after a ground investigation by Bhaskar English led to an official inspection by the Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB), exposing serious flaws in how the city’s air quality is being monitored and reported. In a formal letter to the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), the MPPCB has confirmed multiple anomalies in the installation, operation, and calibration of Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS), validating concerns raised in the Bhaskar English report about diluted AQI readings and masked pollution exposure What Bhaskar English exposed on the ground A Bhaskar English investigation has revealed that Indore’s citywide Air Quality Index (AQI) appears “satisfactory” largely because most monitoring stations are situated inside gardens, parks, and green belts—far from the city’s most polluted, high-traffic areas. The report identified Chhoti Gwaltoli (Regal Square) as the city’s only monitoring station consistently capturing real exposure. Situated at the convergence of the railway station, Sarvate Bus Stand, and multiple heavy-traffic corridors, the station reflected what residents actually breathe daily. During November and December, Chhoti Gwaltoli repeatedly recorded poor to unhealthy AQI levels, sharply contrasting with garden-based stations. On several days in December: The investigation showed that this stark contrast significantly diluted Indore’s citywide AQI average, masking the real pollution burden inhaled daily by lakhs of commuters, vendors, and residents. MPPCB inspected the monitoring stations Soon after the Bhaskar English report flagged systematic dilution of pollution data, the MPPCB constituted a joint inspection team comprising officials from its headquarters and Indore regional office. The team inspected several CAAQMS stations across the city between December 29 and 30, 2025. The findings, documented in the MPPCB’s official letter, confirmed that the concerns raised in the report were not isolated but structural in nature Anomalies confirmed by MPPCB inspection The MPPCB inspection revealed serious irregularities affecting the scientific credibility and reliability of Indore’s air quality data. 1. Unscientific placement of monitoring stations 2. Lack of oversight by Indore Municipal Corporation 3. Vendor-level operational irregularities 4. Technical deficiencies in sampling and calibration 5. Scientific inconsistencies in data Mandatory corrections ordered In response to these findings, MPPCB issued strict directions to IMC, making it clear that existing data cannot be relied upon until systemic corrections are made Masked AQI data exposed The MPPCB’s findings underscore the role of ground reporting forcing institutional accountability. What Bhaskar English reported from the ground, that pollution exposure was being masked by station placement, now stands officially acknowledged by the state pollution regulator. While Indore continued to be projected as having ‘satisfactory’ air quality on official platforms, the city’s busiest corridors were breathing unhealthy air invisible in the averaged data. Clean city, clouded air reality Indore’s sanitation success remains undisputed, but its air quality narrative now faces serious questions. With monitoring stations located away from pollution hotspots, technical lapses undermining data reliability, and weak oversight mechanisms, the city’s AQI story appears more curated than credible. Unless monitoring reflects real exposure and data integrity is restored, Indore’s invisible smog will continue to grow behind the sheen of cleanliness awards, quietly, steadily, and with measurable consequences for public health.